Quick disconnect coupling



April 30, 1946. J. R. SNYDER QUICK DISCONNECT COUPLING Filed Oct. 11,1943,

3 Sheets-Sheet 1 in? W aw/1721192 SIydez T .April 30, 1946.

J. R. SNYDER QUICK DISCONNECT COUPLI NG FiledOct. 11, 1943 3Sheets-Sheet 2 /7 46%; 0 Z52 7 ME U a kcafiiu/s wnydex April 30, 1946.J. R. SNYDER QUICK DISCONNEGT COUPLING Filed Oct. 11, 1943 3Sheets-Sheet 3 lllilm HUHII lllll .Il I r Patented Apr. 30, 1946 YUNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Thompson Products, Inc., Clevelancorporation of Ohio Ohio, a

Application October 11, 1943, serial No. 505,755

14 Claims.

This invention relates to self-sealing couplings adapted for quick andeasy operation while automatically sealing the coupling parts when saidcoupling parts are detached from each other.

More particularly, the present invention relates to a device forcoupling together the ends of fluid conduits such, for example, a tubes,pipes, hoses and the like, to place the same in unrestrictedcommunication when coupled together and to seal the ends thereof whenuncoupled.

According to the present invention, complementary coupling parts or boxeare adapted to receive the ends of fluid conduits which are to be placedin unrestricted fluid flow communication. A shiftable valve membercomprising a multiple number of parts is provided to detachably connectthe coupling boxes and to control fluid flow between the fluid conduitsconnected to said boxes. One of the parts of the valve memhers iretained in each of the coupling boxesfor sealing the respective boxeswhen they are uncoupled to prevent leakage or drainage of the fluid outof the ends of the then separated fluid conduits.

The valve member may advantageously take the form of a slidably mountedmember made up of a pairof interfltting plates'which are adapted tocooperate with a pluralityof mating fingers on each of the couplingboxes to connect the boxes together. One of said plates comprising saidvalve member is also to be retained to each of the boxes when thecoupling boxes are detached.

The coupling boxes cooperate to form a substam tially rectangularlywalled chamber therebetwecn at least two of the opposite sides of whichare open to accommodate the slidably mounted valve member. Means areprovided in each of the coupling boxes to aid in maintaining thepositions of the several parts of the valve member with respect to thecoupling boxes when connected or disconnected.

It is, thus, an object of the present invention to provide a detachablecoupling unit having a i the coupling is detached. 1 A further object ofthe invention is to provide units.

Another important object of the present invention is to provide acoupling unit in which the valve members although being made up ofamultiple number of parts provide an unrestricted passageway throughseveral parts of the valve memher without the necessity of providingsealing means therebetween for interconnecting the conduit to, which thecoupling boxes are secured.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a slidablevalve member for a detachable coupling unit which is made up of aplurality of mutually interfltting parts the cooperative portions ofwhich co-act with means provided in or on the coupling boxes to holdeach of the parts of the valve member in sealing relation in itsassociated coupling box when the coupling is broken.

It is a still further object of the present invention to provide aquickdisconnect coupling unit which is simple in design, possesses all of theforegoing attributes and yet low in cost and high in functionalefficiency.

The present invention also contemplates th provision of a coupling unitwhich will afford unrestricted fluid flow communication between thecoupling boxes forming the unit that will not in any way effect a fluidpressure drop therebetween.

Still other features and objects of the invention will be apparent asthe detailed description of the annexed sheets of drawings whichillustrate preferred embodiments of the invention proceeds.

0n the drawings:

Figure 1 represents a plan view of one form of quick disconnect couplingunit which embodies the principles of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the coupling unit illustrated in Figure1; Figure 3 is a horizontal cross-section taken along the line III-IIIin Figure 2;

Figure 4 corresponds generally to Figure 3 diflering therefrom in thatthe coupling boxes comprising the coupling unit are illustrated indetached and sealed relation;

sub-

' relation;

Figure 9 is a cross-section of another coupling unit which correspondsgenerally to Figure but illustrates the application of a slightlydiflerent valve member and sealing arrangement there'- for; v

Figure represents a plan view of a multiple detachable coupling unitembodying the principles of the present invention;

Figure 11 is an end view of one of the coupling boxes forming thecoupling unit illustrated in Figure 10 and as seen from the line XI-XlFigure 12; and

Figure 12 is a vertical cross-sectional view substantially along theline XIIXII in Figure 10.

As shown on the drawings:

For purposes of illustration the principles of the present inventionwill be described first as related to the coupling unit l5 illustratedgenerally in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings. The coupling unit i5comprises a pair of coupling boxes l6 and l! which are adapted tointerconnect, in the manner hereinafter described, a pair of fluidconduits l8 and I 9, respectively, which may be threaded or otherwisesuitably secured to the ports 21 and 22 provided in the coupling boxes16 and II, respectively (see Figure 3). The coupling boxes l6 and II arepreferably substantially identical in construction and design, however,coupling box I6 is illustrated as diiiering from coupling box II byvirtue of the provision of a mounting flange 20 which is advantageouslyapertured as at 23 (Figure 6) for the reception of bolts or othersuitable fastening means for securing the parts in an apparatus withwhich such a coupling unit may be advantageously employed.

In certain circumstances it may be expedient to omit any form ofmounting means such as the flange 20 provided for the coupling box ISinthe illustrated embodiment. In this event, it will be apparent theparts I8 and H, with the omission of the mounting means, would beidentical, and the parts, simply by inverting the same, may besubstituted one for the other. Such a featur presents distinctadvantages, not only in simplifying the manufacture of the couplingunit, but also in providing replacement parts when the unit is in use inthe field when both forms of coupling box may not be immediatelyavailable. The parts may, of course, in case of urgent necessity, beused interchangeably in spite of the presence or absence of flange 20thereon.

The coupling boxes l6 and I! are provided with a plurality of prong-likefingers 25, 26 and a, 26a, which are advantageously formed integrallywith and project substantially radially from the body of the generallycylindrical body portion 21 and 28 oi said coupling boxes l8 and I1,respectively. As will be apparent from Figures 2 and 5 of the drawings,the several fingers 25, 26, 25a, and 26a of coupling boxes i6 and i1,respectively, cooperate to' enclose substantially completely all but twoopposite sides of a generally rectangularly walled chamber 24 when thecoupling boxes II and II are disposed in assembled relation. It willbest be understood from Figures 2 and 8 that the chamber 24 ispreferably open on at least two opposite sides thereof to receive thevalve member 2| in slidable relation therein.

The valve member 2| is preferably made up of a plurality of interflttingparts, in the present instance, comprising the plates 29 and 22. Theplate 29 is provided with a plurality oi flanged portions 22 and 24which may advantageously be formed integrally with the body of saidplate and are disposed in alternately spaced relation along two of theopposite edges of said plate. Plate 20 is provided with a plurality offlanged portions 22a and 24a which correspond in general to the flangedportions 22 and 24 of the plate 28. The disposition of the flangedportions 22a and 24a on the plate 20 is such that'they will cooperatewith the spaces provided between the several flanged portions 22 and 24on the plate 22 so that the two plates may be interfltted in the mannerillustrated in Figures 1 and 2 of, the drawings as will be readilyapparent from the arrangement of the parts in Figure 6 of the drawings.

The plate 29 is provided with an aperture 25 extending therethrough anddisposed substantially centrally of its lateral dimension butadvantageously to one side of the midpoint of its longitudinal axisshown in Figures 6 and 7. The plate 20 oi the valve member 21 isprovided with a raised angularly shaped boss 26 disposed on one facethereof, preferably that toward which the flanged portions 220 and 34aproject and is provided with a passageway 21 extending therethrough. Theboss 28 on the plate is positioned so as to register with the aperture25 in the plate 29 when the plates 29 and 20 are interfltted and sodisposed that the peripheral margins oi' the faces of the plateswill'coincide. The disposition of the plates 29 and so when placed inmated relation to form the valve member 2| :vill be clear from Figures 1and 2 of the drawngs. I A chamber 29 which may advantageously be ofgenerally cylindrical form is provided in the face of the generallycylindrical body portion 21 of the coupling box IE which is opposite tothat in which the port 2| is formed having an opening 4| extending fromits base to the base of the port 2|. A similar chamber 40 is formed inthe body portion 28 of the coupling box I! and is likewise connectedwith the base of port 22 therein by an opening 42 in the base oi. saidchamber to. A sealing assembly 43 is disposed in each of the chambers 39and 40 of the coupling boxes I and II, respectively. and is adapted tobe selfadjusting so as to prevent leakage of the fluid from each of saidchambers between the outer surfaces of the plates 29 and 20 and the endsof said chambers as well as between the inner periphery of said chambersand said plates both when the coupling boxes l2 and I! are in connectedand disconnected relation to each other.

The sealing assemblies 42 are identical and comprise, in each instance,a generally annularly shaped sealing ring 44 internally of which isdisposed the sleeve 45 having a flanged projection 48 which is adaptedtov overlay one face of the sealing ring 44. The .flanged projection 48forms a contacting surface for the compression coil spring 41 which isadapted to be p sitioned against the base of the chamber 29 or 40, asthe case may be, so as to urge the sealing ring 44 against the outerface of the plate 29 or", whichever it may be, to prevent leakagetherebetween both when the coupling boxes l5, and II are in connectedand disconnected relation. The sealing assemblies 43 also serveto retainthe plates 29 and 36 in contact with the fingers 25, 26 and 25a,29a ofthe coupling boxes i6 and i1. respectively, when the coupling unit isdisconnected.

The sealing ring 44 may advantageously be A which is formed by thcooperative relation of coupling boxes i9 and I1 so that the fingers 25,

25 and 25a, 26a of said boxes are disposed in mating relation is adaptedto slidably receive the interfltting plates 29 and 30 forming the valvemember 3|. The fingers 25 and 26 of the coupling box ii are so formedthat they will extend across the over-all thickness of the mated plates29 and 30 of the valve member 3| so that the inwardly turned endportions 49 of the fingers 25 will cooperate with the inwardly turnedportion 59 of the finger 26 to engage the outer or back surface of theplate 36 of the valve member 3|. Similarly, the inwardly turned portion49a of the fingers 25a and the like portion 50a of the finger 26a of thecoupling box l6 contact the back or outer surface of the plate 29 of thevalve member 3| when the parts are in assembled relation.

As will best be seen from Figures 7 and 8 of the drawin s the over-allwidth-of the flanged portions 33 and 34 of the plate 29 and the likeportions 33a and 34a of the plate 30 corresponds closely to the basedimension of the grooves 5la of the fingers 25, 25a as well as that ofthe grooves 52, .52a, of the fingers 26, 26a of the coupling boxes l6and I1. Thus, when the coupling sition indicator, the retaining means54in the coupling unit i5 operates to insure against the possibility ofinadvertent or unauthorizedshifting of the valvemember 3| when thecoupling boxes i6 and H are in fluid flow communication.

A dimple 69 on the outermost face of late 29 of valve member 3|cooperates with the ball 51 of the retaining means 54 associated withthe coupling box l6 to indicate when said plate is in sealing positionwith respect to the chamber 39 therein when the valve member is shiftedin preparation for detachment of the parts of the coupling unit. Asimilar dimple (not shown) is advantageously formed on the plate 30 ofvalve member 3| in a position corresponding generally to that of dimple59 on plate 29 and for a like purpose. Thus, when the coupling boxes l6and I! of coupling unit i5 are detached, the plate 29 and 30 areprevented from being inadvertently shifted from sealing position.

In assembling the coupling unit l5 of the present invention, the plate29 is first inserted with flanged portions 33, 34 thereof registeringwith the grooves 5i and 52 in the fingers and box I6 is detached fromcoupling box I! of the coupling unit i5 as indicated in Figure 4 or inthe Figures 7 or 8 of the drawings, the valve plates 29 and 30 will, ineach case, be retained box i6 or H. The retaining means 54 comprises thecoil spring 56 disposed in said bore 55 and adapted to urge a ball 51against the plate or plates 29 or 39 of the valve member 3|, dependingupon whether or not the'coupling unit I5 is assembled or disassembled toact as a positionindicator for valve member 3 l The ball 51 of theretaining means 54associated with coupling box l6 registers with adimple 56 formed partly in the contiguous face of plate 29 and partly inthe adjacent edge of the lowermost cooperating flanged portion 33a (asseen in Figure 6) ofplate 36 of valve member 3| to indicate when thepassageway 31 extending there-v through is in fluid flow communicationwith chambers 39 and 40 in coupling boxes i6 and I1, respectively.Contemporaneously, the like re- 26, respectively, of coupling box l6.The plate 29'is then positioned so that the aperture 35 is passedbeyond-the chamber 39 in said coupling box I6 until the stop 6| formedon the outer face of the plate 29 engages the cylindrical body 21 of thecoupling boxl6 as clearly illustrated in Figures 4 and 7 oiv thedrawings.

Similarly, the plate 30 is slldably inserted in the grooves 5la and 52a,of the fingers 25a and 26a, respectively, of the coupling box i1 and sopositioned that the boss 36 is disposed laterally from the chamber 46 insaid coupling box H as best illustrated in Figure 4 of the drawings. Itwill be noted that the stop 62 provided on. the outer surface of theplate 39 does not, in this position, contact the cylindrical bodyportion 23 of the coupling box l1.

The edge portions 59 and 69 in the plate 29 which are disposed adjacentthe flanged portions 33' and 34 of said plate are so formed that theycorrespond in width to that of the fingers 25 and 26, respectively, ofthe coupling box l6. In

taining means 54 in coupling box i1 registers with a similar dimple 59a(Figure-5) on the opposite face of valve member 3!. Besides acting as apolike manner, the corresponding edge portions 59a and 60a of the plate36 of the valve member 3| will correspond in transverse dimensions tothat of fingers 25a and 26a, respectively, of the coupling box II. Byvirtue of the foregoing, and

as will best be seen from Figure 4 of the drawings, when the couplingboxes I6 and I1 are detached, the chambers 39 and 40, respectively, of Isaid couplings, are sealed by the blank portions of the plates 2'9and39, respectively. The plates are retained in place by cooperation of theflanged portions 33 and 34 of plate 29 with the fingers 25and 26 of thecoupling box I6 in addition to the co-action of flanged portions 33a and34a with the fingers 25a and 26a of the coupling box I! and urgedoutwardly against said fingers by the sealing assemblies 43 in thecoupling boxes as illustrated in Figures 7. and 8.

When the parts of the detached couplings i6 and i! are in the relationillustrated in Figure 4, it will be'understood that the plates 29 and 36as well as the several fingers '25, 26 of coupling box 'i 6 and 25a, 26aof coupling box I! will mate when said coupling boxes are placedtogether. The boss 36 of the plate 30 will,'therefore, register with theaperture 35 in the plate 29, when said coupling boxes l6 and H arejoined. After the coupling boxes 16 and I! have been mated in the mannerdescribed above, the valve member 8| maythereatterbemovedlaterallyaoastobringthepalsageway 8linthebose88 whichex tends through the aperture 38into communication with the chambers 88 and 48 in the coupling boxes l8and I 1, respectively.

This lateral shifting of valve member 8i brings the flanged portions 38and 86 of plate 28 into cooperative engagement with the fingers 28a and28a of the coupling box ll. contemporaneously, the flanged portions 88aand 88a oi plate 88 of said valve member 8| are brought intoregistration with fingers 28 and 28 of the coupling box It to completethe interlocking engagement of the parts. Balls 81 of the retainingmeans 58 will also register with dimples 88 and 88a in the mannerhereinbefore described. As will be apparent from Figure 3 of thedrawings, the stop 8| on the plate 28 which was previously in contactwith the cylindrical body 2'! of the coupling box It will be out ofcontact therewith while the stop 82 formed on the plate 88 willthereafter be in contact with the cylindrical body portion 28 of thecoupling II.

The slidable valve member 8i of the coupling unit l5 which-representsone of the preferred embodiments of the present invention isparticularly advantageous for the reason that it is capable of beingshifted with respect to the individual coupling boxes l8 and I1 withoutthe use of any special tools. The coupling unit l8 may, therefore, bemanipulated so as to interconnect or detach, as may bedesired, theconduits l8 and is associated with said coupling boxes i8 and II,respectively, without the use of a hand wheel, wrench, key, or otherspecial tool of the sort customarily employed in conventional couplingunits. Instead, the valve member 8| may be shifted by tapping it with ahammer or any other suitable implement at hand.

The embodiment .of the invention illustrated in Figure 9 of the drawingscorresponds substantially to the coupling unit l8 but differs therefromprincipally in the method of sealing the valve member with respect tothe several coupling boxes. In this instance, the coupling boxes l8 andII are associated with a valve member 88 comprising a pair ofinterfltting plates 88 and 61. Plate 88 is provided with an aperture 88extending through one portion thereof and adapted to communicate with asimilar aperture 88 in the plate 81 when the two plates forming thevalve member 88 are mated in proper relation to interconnect thechambers 88 and 88 of coupling boxes l8 and II, respectively. A suitable0 ring seal 88 which may be formed of any suitable sealing material,such for example, as rubber, neoprene, or any of several resilientplastic materials may be afllxed to the inner surface of one of theplates 88 or 81 by suitable adhesive so as to register with annulargrooves surrounding the openings 88 and 88 and on the inner sides of theplates 88 and 81, respectively, so as to prevent leakage of the fluidpassing through the-communicating openings between the contiguous innersurfaces 01' the plates.

The sealing assembly 18 disposed in each of the chambers 88 and 48 ofthe coupling boxes l8 and II, respectively, diners slightly from thesealing assembly 88 associated with the embodi- .coil spring II forurgingsaid sealing ring 18 into contact with the outermost faces of theplate 88 or 81, as the case may be.

Otherwise, the assembly and operation of the coupling unit illustratedin Figure 9 of the draw- ,ings corresponds to that of the embodiment ofFigures 1 to 8, inclusive.

The embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figures 10 to 12,inclusive, employs the same general principles as that of the couplingunit ii. The coupling unit 18 diifers from coupling unit It, however, inthat it embodies a plurality of tube connections thereby forming what isknown as a multiple detachable coupling. The coupling unit 18 comprisesgenerally coupling boxes TI and 18 in which are formed a plurality ofconnections 18 and 88, respectively, which may all be of the same ordiflerent sizes to accommodate the connection therewith of a pluralityof fluid conduits of the same or diflerent sizes. The valve member 8|which is slidable in the coupling boxes 11 and 18, comprises a pair ofinterfltting plates 82 and 88.

As in the case of the coupling unit I8, the present coupling unit 18 isprovided on the coupling box 11 thereof with a plurality of projectingfingers 84 and 88 which cooperate with identical fingers 84a and 88aformed on the coupling box I8 to form a substantially rectangularlywalled chamber 88 open on at least two opposite sides thereof in whichthe valve member 8| is slidably engaged. The coupling boxes l1 and I8 ofthe coupling unit 18 may, as indicated in the foregoing description ofthe coupling unit l8, be identical in order that they may beinterchanged if required, or the coupling box 18 may embody a mountingflange 88 suitably apertured for mounting the same in operating relationto the apparatus with which it is associated.

A chamber 8'! of generally cylindrical form may be provided in the faceof the coupling box 11 opposite the port 18 therein. A similar chamber88 is formed in the face of the coupling box I8 opposite the port 80therein. Assocated with each of the chambers 81 and 88 of the couplingboxes 11 and 18, respectively, is a sealing assembly 88, which in eachcase comprises a sealing ring 88 in which is inserted a sleeve 8i havinga flanged portion 82 thereon engaging a coil spring 88 which ispositioned against the base of the chamber '81 or 88, as the case maybe, to urge the sealing ring 88, into contact with the face ment of theinvention illustrated in Figures 1 to 8, inclusive. The sealing assembly18, in each case, employs a sealing ringll'in the form of an annuluswhich is associated with sleeve 18 of the valve plate 82 or 88.

As in the case of the embodiment illustrated in Figure 1 of thedrawings, the instant embodiment of the invention contemplates theemployment of an aperture 88 in plate 82 of the valve member 8i in whichis inserted cylindrically shaped boss portion 85 formed on the plate 88and surrounding a passageway 88 therein. The passageway 88 in the plate88 interconnects the chambers 81 and 88 of the coupling boxes I1 and 18,respectively, and may be of any suitable form such, for example, as therectangular cross-section illustrated in Figure 11. Passageways 81 and88 which are illustrated as being circular and of smaller size than thepas sageway 88 interconnect associated chambers for each of theremaining pairs of ports disposed in the coupling boxes 11 and I8,respectively, of the coupling unit 18.

Sealing means similar to that hereinbefore described may be employed inconnection with each ,of the chambers associated with each of thesevhaving a flanged portion 12 and engaging the eral remaining ports inthe aforementioned couaseasie pling boxes 11 and It. The mode ofassembling and operation of the coupling unit It corresponds with thator the coupling unit II.

It will, of course, be understood that various details or constructionmay be varied through a wide range without departing from the principlesof this invention and it is, therefore, not the purpose to limit thepatent granted hereon otherwise than necessitated by the scope of theappended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A detachable coupling for interconnecting a plurality o! conduits forthe flow of fluid therethrough comprising a pair of passaged couplingboxes, said coupling boxes having mating fingers thereon, a pair ofplates slidably mounted between the mating fingers in the couplingboxes. said plates having interfltting flanged portions adjacent theircontiguous faces to detachably connect said coupling boxes in fluid flowcommunication, said flanged portions on each plate coacting with thefingers on the coupling box associated therewith to'retain the platestherein upon detachment of said coupling boxes.

2. In a detachable coupling for interconnecting a plurality of conduitsfor the passage of fluid therethrough, a pair of coupling boxes havingoppositely disposed alternately arranged mating means thereon and fluidports ther'ein, and a shiftable member for cooperation with saidcoupling boxes for alternately interconnecting the ports for fluid flowcommunication and disconnecting and sealing said ports, said shiftablemember comprising a pair of interfltting parts. means associated witheach of the parts to locate said parts in mutually inter-fittedrelation, an aperture in one of said parts, and passage defining meansin the other of said parts for engagement with the aperture in the firstmentioned part to interconnect the ports in the coupling boxes when saidcoupling boxes are disposed in interlocking arrangement.

pling boxes to alternately interconnect the ports for fluid flowcommunication and to disconnect and seal said ports, said shiftablmember comprising a pair of plates, each of which is provided with aplurality of spaced flanged portions interfltting with alternatelydisposed flanged Dortions on the other of said plates, an aperture inone of said plates, a passage defining means in the other of said platesfor registration with the aperture in the first-mentioned plate, saidaperture and said passage deflning meansinterconnecting the ports insaid boxes when the several parts are assembled together.

4. In a multi-part detachable coupling for establishing fluid flowcommunication between a plurality of conduits, a shiftable member foral-.

ternately connecting the parts of said coupling together and sealingsaid parts against leakage of fluid therefrom when disconnected, saidmembercomprising a pair of plates, one of said plates being aperturedand having a plurality of flanged portions thereon, the other of saidplates having a corresponding number of flanged portions which interfitwith the flanged portions on the first-mentioned plate, and passagedefining means on the second of said plates for registration with theaperture in the first-mentioned plate.

5. In a multi-part detachable coupling for establishing fluid flowcommunication between a plurality of conduits, a shiftable member foralternately connecting the parts of said coupling together and sealingsaid parts against leakage of fluid therefrom when disconnected, saidmembercomprising a plurality of plates, at least one of which has anaperture therein and a pluralityof flanged portions adjacent the edgesthereof, another of said plates having similar flanged portions thereonarranged to interfit in alternating relation with the flanged portionson-the first of said plates when the plates are assembled in contiguousrelation, a boss on the second of said plates registering with theaperture in the first plate to defin a fluid passageway therethrough.

6. A detachable coupling comprising a pair of substantially identicalported coupling boxes which when assembled form a substantiallyrectangularly walled chamberopen on at least two opposite sides thereof,each of said coupling boxes having a plurality of fingers extendingtherefrom which mate with a corresponding number of fingers on the otherof said coupling boxes, a multipart slide valve for alternatelyinterconnecting and. sealing the ports in said coupling boxes, and

means in each of the coupling boxes for malnfltting parts slidable inthe mating fingers of the coupling boxes, a passageway extending throughsaid slidable member for connecting the passages of thecoupling boxes,flanged portions on each of the parts of the slidable member forcooperating with similar portions on the other, of said parts toprovide" interfltting engagement of the parts when the coupling boxesare connected and coacting with the fingers of the associated couplingbox to seal the same when the coupling boxes are disconnected, and meansin said coupling boxes for engaging the slidable member to retain theParts thereof in engagement with the fingers on the coupling boxes bothin connected and disconnected relation.

8. A detachable coupling for connecting a pluraiity or conduits in fluidflow communication and sealing the same when disconnected comprising apair of passaged coupling boxes, said coupling boxes being provided witha plurality of mating fingers, a member including a plurality ofinterfltting parts slidable in the interlocking fingers of the couplingboxes, a passageway extending through said slidable memberfor connectingthe passages of the coupling boxes, flanged portions on each of theparts of the slidable member for cooperating with similar portions onthe other or said parts to provide interfltting engagement of the partswhen the cou-- pling boxes are connected and coacting with the fingersofthe associated coupling box to seal the same when the coupling boxes aredisconnected, means in said coupling boxes for engaging the slidablemember to retain the parts thereof in engagement with the fingers on thecoupling boxes both in connected and disconnected rela- 6 tion.andstopmeansoneachoithepartsoithe slidable member for positioning thesame with respecttosaid coupling boxes.

9.v In a detachable coupling for interconnecting a plurality of conduitsfor the passage of fluid therethrough, a pair of coupling boxes havingoppositely disposed, alternately arranged mating means thereon and fluidports therein, and shiftable means for cooperation with said couplingboxes for alternately interconnecting the ports for fluid flowcommunication and disconnecting and sealing said ports, said shiitablemeans comprising a pair of interiitting parts, means associated witheach the parts to locate said parts in mutually interfltted relation, apassageway extending through said parts for interconnecting the ports inthe coupling boxes, and stop means on each of the parts of the.shiitable member for positioning the same with respect to said coupling boxes.

10. A coupling comprising a pair of detachably connected coupling boxesdefining a conduitior fluid communications therebetween. a multi-partshiitable member for connecting said coupling' boxes and sealing thesame when the parts are detached, said shiftable member having apassaged portion and a sealing portion therein, and

retaining means between said coupling boxes and said shiftable memberfor positioning the parts of the shiitable member in engagement with thewhen the parts are connected and disconnected, and sealing means dismedbetween the plates oi the slidable member to prevent leakage of fluidtherebetween.

12. In a coupling, a pair of ported coupling boxes each slidablysupporting an apertured slide for covering and uncovering the ports, andmeans cooperating with the slides to connect the boxes 'when' the slidesare moved to port imcovering position.

13. A detachable coupling comprising a pair of ported coupling boxeseach having supports thereon, and a plurality of apertured members atleast one of which is shiitably mounted in the supports of each couplingbox for covering and uncovering the port in said coupling box, each ofsaid members having means thereon which mutually interflt with thesimilar means on the other of said members and engage the supports ofthe coupling box mounting the' other member to lock said coupling boxestogether when the ports in said boxes are uncovered and which disengagesaid supports to disconnect said coupling-boxes and disassemble saidapertured members from each other when the ports in said boxes-arecovered.

coupling boxes when the parts are connected and 14. A detachablecoupling comprising a pair 0! ported coupling boxes each having slidesupports thereon, an apertured slide shiitably mounted in each slidesupport to cover and uncover the port in said coupling box, and flangedportions on said slides which mutually interflt to provide engagement ofthe slide of each coupling box with the slide supports in the othercoupling box for locking the same together when the interfltted slidesare positioned with the apertures therein in fluid flow communicationwith the ports in said coupling boxes, said flanged portions of theslide of one coupling box disengaging the slide supports of the othercoupling box and engaging the supports of said one coupling box whensaid slide is shifted to disconnect said coupling boxes, whereby each ofthe slides seals the ports in the box in which it is mounted. I

JACOB RUSH SNYDER.

